Intramural basketball league opens season
with Team 94 Feet still undefeated
The San Quentin Intramural basketball season opened with a fierce battle between Team Finishing and Team 94 Feet, ending in a double-digit, tough loss for Team Finishing, 63-34.
“They need a point guard to control the game,” said SQ Warriors power forward Greg Eskridge, who was observing the game from the sideline. “Where is y’all ball handler at?” Yell out Another spectator watching the game yelled out, sharing the same sentiment of Eskridge.
Team 94 Feet had a few big men in the green jerseys. They were towering over some of Team Finishing, who wore the black jerseys. However, the size of the smaller team was not to be underestimated. They used their speed and other strengths to compete.
The game began slowly on the hazy Saturday evening. The night breeze off the Bay coastal waters did not prevent the residents from coming out to see the battle on the court of the Lower Yard.
Team 94 Feet struck the first blow with a mid-range jumper from Taiosis “CC” Matangi, that put his team up early in the first. Early first quarter points came from guards Navion “Smoove” Starks and Taiosis “CC” Matangi, who led their team to a 17-4 lead.
The Finishing was struggling terribly on defense and offense and it seemed they were simply not prepared for the competitiveness of the other team.
But the power forward of Team Finishing, June Miles, was not letting his team go down without putting up a valiant fight. He received a dime pass from teammate “JR” Pimpton in the middle. Miles drew the foul and the and-one when he muscled his way through the blockage of Tyler “Drizzy” Cooper and Miqual Sequentes.
However, muscling his way through the defense forced Miles on the free throw line five times during the game, the most of any player on both teams. Consequently, he was also The Finishing’s leading scorer. Yet trying to keep his team in the game was a heavy weight to bear on his shoulders.
“Trying to carry my team through this game was rough,” said Miles. “I figured out that we need more practice and we especially need more guard play. But, most of all I give credit to the other team. They just out played us.”
Miles said that his team was missing one of their key players who actually could have made a difference in the game: center Big Rick Hale.
“Rick would of made a difference in the game but, I should of made more of my free-throws,” Miles said.
The game became a shootout between Miles of the Finishing and new comers Mason “White Chocolate” Ryan and Khurazze “Sauce” Williams of 94 Feet. The two high scorers of 94 Feet out numbered the shooters in the black jerseys.
“It was fun to play with my teammates for the first time,” Ryan said. “This was my first time playing in an organized game in a while. But my team mate ‘Sauce’ had an awesome game.”
From the dominating 29-11 lead at the half, it was Team 94 Feet that led both 20-minute halves.
New Intramural Commissioner Derrell “Sadiq” Davis said that the season opener was a success and that he was proud of both teams for showing good sportsmanship on the court.
“I think last night’s game was good. Everything went well. We started on time and there was no arguments and the guys showed unity as a team. I saw that the residents really enjoyed the game too and even though one team was losing they still showed good sportsmanship,” said Davis.